XOHM WiMAX tested in Baltimore, does work in cars

XOHM is live in Baltimore, and Laptop Magazine has sent a few (slightly dazed-looking) staffers on an impromptu tour of the "Charm City" to get a feel for Sprint's new WiMAX service. Overall, they found performance to be quite good, clocking in at 3.05 Mbps down and 2.4 Mbps up. That compares very favorably to Verizon's EV-DO network, which delivered 1.43 Mbps down and 0.54 Mbps up in the same locations. Sprint's network also beats Clearwire's WiMAX down in Reno both in speed and in connectivity; testers in the Biggest Little City in the World couldn't get a signal while in a car, but those in Baltimore could, albeit at half the speed as when stationary. So, it certainly sounds like a good solution for those who need a high-speed connection on the go -- so long as they're only going to places within Baltimore, of course.

[Sergio @ Oct 1st 2008 10:31AM]

what does verizon's EV-DO network have to do with anything since sprint has their own EV-DO network as well.

[awake @ Oct 1st 2008 11:55AM]

Not to mention the EVDO Rev-A 'network' does not even compare to a Wimax 'network', if you want to compare the preliminary speed of Wimax to EVDO speed you would have to go with Rev-B at the least which won't be out until early next year. What is up with some of these engadget writers??

[Charlie @ Oct 1st 2008 3:29PM]

"you would have to go with Rev-B at the least which won't be out until early next year." I think they were comparing networks you can actually get service on. You can (if you live in harm city) use Xohm right now. Rev-B is a promised upgrade I don't even recall reading about handsets/cards for yet.

[macserv @ Oct 1st 2008 9:56PM]

And: "compares favorably"? If those numbers aren't typos, "blows away" is a more suitable phrase.

[awake @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:57AM]

@ Charlie

The article clearly states a comparison between Verizons EVDO network and Wimax, Sprint already has EVDO handsets and cards that are upgradable to Rev-B, C, D etc. Example, the Mogul which was EVDO Rev-O can now be upgraded to Rev-A. EVDO radios are already in place, It's just a software upgrade that is needed.

[Charlie @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:08AM]

Those are all theoretical - the past emergence of upgrades from 0-A is a great example - look at how the upgrades came out for the mogul - via forums and such. And it doesn't change the fact that B's not available *now*, so it's a bit hard to compare it. They did a comparison of the two best mobile networks available in the given place at the given time.

[rickgrob @ Oct 1st 2008 10:39AM]

I like the promising results, but I think it is too soon to make comparisons to other high speed wireless networks. The Baltimore network will have virtually no one on it from a load perspective for at least a couple of months. The other networks have been in operation for some time. ALL of these technologies are sharing a common resource, the frequency spectrum available. Ultimately I would still expect good performance from WiMax, but also expect it to drop when it is loaded realistically.

[Yankees368 @ Oct 1st 2008 10:35AM]

There is no way that Sprint, as a last ditch company effort that may very well save them, would develop a network that would not work in cars. WiMax looks like it has a great head start on LTE, as long as they can roll it out in some important networks ASAP.

(ahem, NYC. Almost every single NYC cab is running a Sprint EVDO card for the back seat 'entertainment and credit card consoles', it just seems logical to move them to WiMax eventually)

[neodorian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:36AM]

They should have compared it to Sprint's EVDO which is faster here in Baltimore since they got Rev. A a while back. Still, the new service is faster and I hope they get back to me next week about testing.

[Sisyphus @ Oct 1st 2008 10:36AM]

Good for Sprint.

I've been pulling for Dan Hesse since he seems like a nice enough guy in his commercials. Hopefully excellent services will make up for the staff of Lemmings Sprint employs.

[TheAzureKnight @ Oct 1st 2008 4:46PM]

I agree about Dan.

Those commercials of his are pure genius in my opinion. And they make me want Sprint to succeed.

If they can get the Touch HD with 3G on their network I'd be signing up for another 2 year contract quicker than you can say WiMax!

[Dorville @ Oct 1st 2008 10:46AM]

Guys, why you allways wait to hear old news? There already commercial Wimax going on and ALLWAYS WORKED IN CARS. I have 1 year using it and really work in cars. Cheez...

[From My Cube @ Oct 1st 2008 11:25AM]

if you really want to get picky my university tested out wimax about 2 years ago and has been using it all long....including on campus buses

[Benson @ Oct 1st 2008 2:51PM]

Dorville, you might try learning to spell "always".

Anyhow, the reason they're emphasizing that it works in cars is on account of the recent testing with Clearw're's "WiMAX" system (unclear whether it is 802.16d, or even not WiMAX at all) in Reno, which did not work in cars.

See http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/30/wimax-tested-in-reno-doesnt-work-in-cars/

The point of this news is that "XOHM WiMAX", not just "WiMAX", works in cars, since some competing implementations don't.

[avester @ Oct 1st 2008 11:09AM]

So close to 50Mbps that WiMAX would give you guys commented on the other thread.

[Knives_Out @ Oct 1st 2008 11:15AM]

cmon chicago!!

[John @ Oct 1st 2008 11:16AM]

Want.

[paul-engadget @ Oct 1st 2008 11:56AM]

green with envy... and wimax spectrum hasn't even been licenced yet in the UK.

despite the promises of the potentials of 3G, I cannot get better than a few 10k bytes per second on any 3G provider, and I'm in good signal coverage. Sure, the local link might be megabits, but the backhaul provision by the operators is wholly inadequate!

[Jake @ Oct 1st 2008 12:24PM]

Does this thing revert back to EV-DO after you're outside of the WiMax network? If not, I can see it being a good waste of money for the next few years...

[Jacob @ Oct 1st 2008 3:05PM]

no it doesn't fall back onto EVDO, you'll have to wait for dual devices to come out. Presumably you'll only use it in your home city and if need be you can get an EVDO card. I just hope you can get combo EVDO and Wimax access without having to pay for two plans, and preferably get both for only 60 bucks a month.

[Robert @ Oct 1st 2008 12:39PM]

Your statement regarding the comparison to "Clearwire's Wi-Max in Reno" is not accurate.

Clearwire does not have or operate Wi-Max in Reno yet. Clearwire is operating their 5 year old technology called "Expedience" which is basically a pre-WiMax technology which has a maximum speed of 2.0 mbps down and 256 kbps up. Actually, when Clearwire deploys WiMax in Reno and in its other existing markets, I understand the speeds will be comparable to Sprint's XOHM. That is the reason why there is going to be a New Clearwire once the joint venture between Clearwire, Sprint, Time Warner, Comcast, Google, Intel and Bright Star goes through before the end of the year.

I think we all might be more interested in seeing the speeds of WiMax once tens of thousands of customers are simutaneously sharing the network. Then tell me the throughput speeds and we can and should compare them to the current 3G networks which incidently all work in the top 300 or so markets nationwide and in the case of Sprint and Verizon, on interstate highways, in rural areas and more.

If you want to impress me, give me that comparison and show me how this product is more of a value than the $59.99 per month I am paying Verizon so I can use my modem nationwide.

[tom @ Oct 1st 2008 8:32PM]

Xohm has something like 100mhz of spectrum in most markets, so capacity really shouldn't be a problem.

[Robert @ Oct 1st 2008 12:41PM]

Your statement regarding the comparison to "Clearwire's Wi-Max in Reno" is not accurate.

Clearwire does not have or operate Wi-Max in Reno yet. Clearwire is operating their 5 year old technology called "Expedience" which is basically a pre-WiMax technology which has a maximum speed of 2.0 mbps down and 256 kbps up. Actually, when Clearwire deploys WiMax in Reno and in its other existing markets, I understand the speeds will be comparable to Sprint's XOHM. That is the reason why there is going to be a New Clearwire once the joint venture between Clearwire, Sprint, Time Warner, Comcast, Google, Intel and Bright Star goes through before the end of the year.

I think we all might be more interested in seeing the speeds of WiMax once tens of thousands of customers are simutaneously sharing the network. Then tell me the throughput speeds and we can and should compare them to the current 3G networks which incidently all work in the top 300 or so markets nationwide and in the case of Sprint and Verizon, on interstate highways, in rural areas and more.

If you want to impress me, give me that comparison and show me how this product is more of a value than the $59.99 per month I am paying Verizon so I can use my modem nationwide.

[Robert @ Oct 1st 2008 12:49PM]

Your statement regarding the comparison to "Clearwire's Wi-Max in Reno" is not accurate.

Clearwire does not have or operate Wi-Max in Reno yet. Clearwire is operating their 5 year old technology called "Expedience" which is basically a pre-WiMax technology which has a maximum speed of 2.0 mbps down and 256 kbps up. Actually, when Clearwire deploys WiMax in Reno and in its other existing markets, I understand the speeds will be comparable to Sprint's XOHM. That is the reason why there is going to be a New Clearwire once the joint venture between Clearwire, Sprint, Time Warner, Comcast, Google, Intel and Bright Star goes through before the end of the year.

I think we all might be more interested in seeing the speeds of WiMax once tens of thousands of customers are simutaneously sharing the network. Then tell me the throughput speeds and we can and should compare them to the current 3G networks which incidently all work in the top 300 or so markets nationwide and in the case of Sprint and Verizon, on interstate highways, in rural areas and more.

If you want to impress me, give me that comparison and show me how this product is more of a value than the $59.99 per month I am paying Verizon so I can use my modem nationwide.

[panamnyc @ Oct 1st 2008 12:59PM]

how do you pronounce XOHM???

[TheAccuser @ Oct 1st 2008 3:38PM]

Don't you know how to use Google Search?

It's pronounced "ZOME"

[Stephen @ Oct 1st 2008 2:33PM]

It's pronounced "Zome", like zone but with an m

[William @ Oct 1st 2008 3:21PM]

It rhymes with Rome.

[CT A @ Oct 1st 2008 4:58PM]

It's actually OHM

[Snidely @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:50AM]

They should have sent those "dazed staffers" on a tour of The Wire's locations. That would have woken them up (and been a good test of XOHM in speeding cars as the staffers rushed out of those neighborhoods).

[PhilR8 @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:29PM]

Maybe they had just been to those locations and picked up a few Red Tops... would explain their "dazed" (high) expressions...

[Tha Doggfather @ Oct 4th 2008 2:47PM]

Go Orioles!!! Now bring it to DC.

[wimaxed @ Oct 27th 2008 9:41AM]

I've heard you can get pretty good speeds in Dallas now thought the network it's only in testing phase.

--- http://www.WiMAXED.com